Posts Tagged ‘Celebrity Spokesperson’

Media training your spokesperson for broadcast appearances on TV and radio (including satellite media tours) is often a service that is neglected or performed in-house at publicity agencies. Before you make an investment in a spokesperson, spend time booking interviews, or engage a company to produce a SMT or RMT, there are five questions you should ask to determine if you need to add specialized media training services to your campaign budget.

#1. We are paying a high fee for the spokesperson. Why should we spend additional budget to media train them? Even the most experienced spokesperson needs to rehearse and prepare for each on-camera appearance and specific client message. No one “wings it” and nails it. Clients invest a significant amount of budget in spokesperson fees and a public relations campaign (especially ones involving a satellite media tour), but all that can fall apart if the spokesperson’s delivery is not fine tuned for a flawless delivery for their multiple interviews. The investment in media training protects the investment in the SMT and Spokesperson to maximize on-air success.

#2. Our spokesperson has a lot of media experience and is on television regularly. Why would they need media training? Depending on your spokesperson’s background or expertise, not all media experience is the same. Actors, celebrities, and experts also don’t have experience with the client’s specific messaging so they need to be professionally media trained so that they ace the on-camera interview(s) for the client.

ACTORS (CELEBRITIES): Actors always work from a script and need to be given exact message points, but also need training and rehearsal on how to deliver a client message in a sincere way that doesn’t feel canned or memorized and that viewers will find authentic. They also need to be trained on how to handle curve balls when interviews don’t go as planned so that they stay on message and avoid creating a P.R. disaster (for them or the client).

CELEBRITIES (NON-ACTORS): Celebrities who are non-actors include reality show stars, chefs, book authors, bloggers, social media sensations, etc. They do not have experience being interviewed on-camera in the SMT format and need media training to master the client message plus handle unexpected questions so that every interview is a home run.

EXPERTS / BOOK AUTHORS (NON-ACTORS): An expert makes a great spokesperson because their professional experience and credibility makes them a book-able guest, but most are not comfortable in front of a camera and are very new to delivering a client message. Media training prepares them to handle every interview with confidence that is important for gaining viewers trust.

Nothing will kill your spokesperson’s on-camera credibility more than verbal fossils (i.e. “ah,” “um,” “uh,” “well,” “so,” “you know,” “er,” and “like” ). They are distracting, weaken the message, and frankly, make you sound bad. As with other nervous habits, they’re probably not aware that they do them.

They need to learn do’s and don’ts or they could derail their credibility and how to:

minimize ahs, ums, and other verbal fossils.

avoid wasting precious airtime rambling.

deliver a structured message for the three minute interview.

segue from questions back to client messaging.

how to pivot.

handle curve balls.

deliver the client message in a way that does not seem too commercial.

deliver the message authentically.

understand exactly what the client expects.

balance the questions and weave in the client message.

look at the camera to engage with a reporter that they cannot see.

handle technical issues if the IFB drops out or they’re getting audio feedback.

manage nervous habits and mannerisms.

answer questions and how not to answer questions so that they look good and the client looks good.

#3. Our celebrity spokesperson doesn’t think they need media training. How do we persuade them to do it? First, it should be in their contract as part of your spokesperson arrangement. Second, it is important for the celebrity’s image to always look their best on-camera so media training is insurance that their personal brand and image is protected. Protecting your brand is equally important.

#4. Our P.R. agency already provides media training services. Why should we contract services outside of our own agency? Many P.R. agencies do a great job of preparing spokespersons for certain appearances, but the problem is that the agency media trainer has tunnel vision regarding their client’s messaging and the spokesperson is prepared to deliver the message in a such a way that is over commercial and this can really turn producers off. They’ll cut the client message out of the interview (especially if it’s taped). Also, they don’t media train the talent from a producer’s perspective.

#5. What is the benefit of having a TV producer media train a spokesperson? Nothing can compare to having an experienced TV producer media train your spokesperson. They’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of hours in control rooms coaching on-air talent through IFBs, diligently watching TV monitors to help the talent make adjustments so that their on-camera delivery comes across flawlessly. You want a producer’s keen eye, innate sensibilities, and experience to fine tune every nuance of your spokesperson’s delivery so that they nail your message and every interview.

If you’re investing a significant budget for a public relations campaign into a satellite media tour, but fail to train your on-camera spokesperson, your brand could be damaged and your investment wasted.

Marianne Schwab is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Media Training and the go-to broadcast media expert to show you how to get booked on TV and ace your on-camera interview. Her producer credits include Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Runaway with the Rich & Famous, E! Entertainment Television ON E! Specials, and many more. She has worked in broadcast for over 25 years and is currently the Executive Producer for CMP Media Cafe — a company specializing in broadcast public relations where she provides customized media training services for clients.

When the average TV viewer, radio listener or social media user hears that a celebrity uses a product, most have no idea that the celeb is a paid spokesperson (even though FCC and FTC laws dictate that they acknowledge it).

Companies regularly hire celebrities to plug their product and are often at the mercy of agents to determine the spokesperson fees and have not really had a way to determine the “fair market value” to pay for services. Well, now you can turn to to Thuzio, a company that uses a sophisticated algorithm which has reverse-engineered 10,000 real-life transactions to calculate the price of a celebrity appearance, tweet or Facebook post from every VIP on planet Earth to determine a price tag for what society values.

In the brave new world of social media endorsements, celebrity tweets can cost advertisers millions depending on many factors: the type of celebrity, their cross platform following, and engagement with followers. A ginormous Facebook and Twitter following is certainly a big factor, of course, and musicians are worth more than athletes when it comes to appearance fees.

Thuzio 360’s talent database is available by subscription and is primarily used by marketers looking for that perfect superstar spokesperson or mini-celebrity to promote their brand on social media. So who are New York’s most valuable celebrities? Taylor Swift tops the list and theoretically commands $2.5 million for a single appearance and Rihanna is second on the list at $1.5 million.

Identifying the right spokesperson for your satellite media tour is pivotal to your broadcast public relations success and can be one of the more challenging aspects of producing the SMT. Here are some basic guidelines for identifying a SMT spokesperson when navigating options on this critical decision for your media tour as well as your surrounding public relations campaign.

Choose an Expert Relevant to the SMT Topic or Product. Contracting the appropriate expert for your topic adds credibility to your message. When conducting your spokesperson search, you should look for an expert who has a respected reputation in the industry that makes sense for your product and/or topic. For example if you’re an automotive company, you should identify an appropriate car expert – it could be a consumer editor of an auto magazine, car care specialist, or even a classic car expert depending on your angle.. If you’re message points are geared toward the latest beauty product, then think of ways where an expert like a dermatologist would add credibility to your message.

Experts Should Have a Book or a Blog (or Both). An expert who has written a book or who has a popular blog on their field of expertise will be highly desirable by television and radio producers. There is nothing like a blog or a book to add credibility to your expert as someone who is reputable in their field. Celebrity experts are also a good choice. A celebrity expert is someone like a chef that is well known or a designer that has a TV show

Spokesperson Should Have a Proven Media Appearance Track Record. Look for an expert who has had experience in broadcast media. Your ideal spokesperson will have had numerous radio and TV appearances. If they have not had media experience, you can always media train them, but verify that they have media potential. This can often be determined in an interview either over the phone and ideally face-to-face or via Skype. You want to confirm that your expert is also “media friendly” in their appearance and how they speak.

Social Media Influence a Plus. Although it is not a deal breaker, more and more clients find that a spokesperson who also has a very visible social media presence a necessary part of the equation. This is an added value since the spokesperson can also leverage their social media following to reach a broader and targeted audience by posting interviews of the satellite media tour and even tips regarding the clients message points to their social media outlets. Depending on the industry, keep in mind that many excellent experts may not be social media savvy.

Don’t Over Pay a Spokesperson Fee. How much you pay your spokesperson is always a little bit of the sticky wicket and I am often flabbergasted by the amount that is paid for certain experts or talent for an SMT primarily because I think some clients overpay. Depending on the reputation of the expert, fees can vary dramatically. I’ve seen them range everywhere from $1,000 honorariums up to $100,000 for top celebrity talent. Unless you happen to have an A-List celebrity as your SMT spokesperson, you should not pay more than $5,000-$10,000 in my opinion. The spokesperson’s job is to deliver the message on camera in a credible way, but in most cases the expert you contract (although pivotal to a good interview) is not the main reason stations are going to book the SMT. In most cases, stations will book the interviews based on a strong and provocative story angle. The spokesperson’s credibility, although essential to the story, is not usually the catalyst that ultimately entices producers to book the interview except in the case of an A-list celebrity.

Finally, the question that is sure to come up is, “should the spokesperson be a company executive and or employee?” The answer to that is that it really depends on a lot of variables where the story angle is concerned and the objective of the satellite media tour. Obviously, the head of Microsoft, Bill Gates, is a very desirable interview. However, unless the company executive is also strategic to the brand or invention of the product, they may not be the best choice as a spokesperson since newsrooms will often perceive that as being “too commercial.” A natural exception would be a company executive responding in a crisis public relations situation.

The spokesperson search for your PR campaign always presents challenges. Feel free to consult with CMP Media Café when you are in planning stages so that we may assist you in navigating options and guide you through this process.

When does it make sense to spend a lot of money on the celebrity spokesperson for a satellite media tour or publicity campaign? In today’s evolving broadcast media world, one of the most important decisions you make when using a single client satellite media tour as part of your campaign is the story angle and the choice of spokesperson. Let’s talk about the spokesperson along with the pros and cons when it comes to using a celebrity for a satellite media tour.

An A-List Celebrity Will Guarantee Top Markets for Most SMTs. Hiring a celebrity as a spokesperson for your brand, service, or product makes good sense when it is an A-Lister or even B-Lister, but in most cases, any celebrity that doesn’t carry that clout will not be a good investment as far as ROI on earned interviews. An A-List celebrity will guarantee top markets for most SMTs, but keep in mind that you need to allow 4-to-6 weeks to book a successful satellite media tour even with an A-Lister. Lack of planning and lead time will dramatically diminish the successful return on the budget spent.

Is the Big Fat Fee Worth It? The answer to whether or not the big fat fee for the spokesperson is worth it or not is a personal professional decision contingent on the ability of the spokesperson to generate interest for top market interviews in addition to the elevation of the product reputation and brand awareness with your target demographic with the spokespersons fame. If the celebrity attached is part of an overall brand building objective, then spend the money to find the right spokesperson for your brand. The amount you spend on the fee for an A-Lister usually guarantees national and top market interviews, but when a client settles for a B-List celebrity or below, the interview results decrease significantly.

Hire the Right Celebrity, Not “Any” Celebrity. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen clients make is engaging the services of the “wrong” celebrity spokesperson – usually because they have vetted them appropriately for the brand or product they are being asked to represent. If the celebrity has no organic connection to the product, then paying them to recite message points just because you like the celebrity (or they have significant name recognition) is a big mistake. The perfect synergy occurs when the celebrity really likes the brand, believes in the product, and it’s obvious to viewers in their delivery.

I have seen clients be very disappointed with high paid celebrity talent when they have discovered that the celebrity’s real-life experience was contradictory to the product message they were paid to deliver. For example, a client had a beauty product to “reverse” aging and the celebrity spokesperson said that they were not a fan of plastic surgery during the satellite media tour interviews. I later came out that this spokesperson had a plastic surgery procedure or two prior to endorsing the product. Integrity is everything so appropriately vet your spokesperson regarding their product experience so that their messaging will be true to who they are as people and to your product.

Another circumstance involved a celebrity who was hired as a spokesperson for a charitable organization and who had absolutely no connection to the cause but represented themselves to the contrary. When the spokesperson was “pressed” to describe their personal connection, they said it was “too personal” to discuss in interviews. If the celebrity does not have a relationship to the charity (or refuses to talk about the connection they do have), then they are not a good match. It’s also difficult to book a celebrity spokesperson for a story involving a charitable cause if they have absolutely no link to it other than they think it’s a good idea. I personally and professionally do not like that charitable organizations pay celebrity spokespersons outrageous amounts of money to promote a charitable cause. In my humble opinion, a celebrity should offer services for a charitable organization they believe in on a pro bono basis or for a SAG day rate. I think they are not being truthful to the public when they are a paid spokesperson for a cause. I am sure there are many in the industry that disagree with me on this issue, especially agents.

A Spokesperson Agreement Should Include Appearances in Addition to the SMT. The celebrity’s services should be part of a broader campaign that is not limited to a satellite media tour. Hiring a celebrity where the satellite media tour spokesperson is the only part of their contract is a mistake. Their services should also include national TV studio interviews, print, radio, web and even personal appearances where it makes sense. In general, most of these services will be provided within a one-to-two day (or more) time frame. Finally, don’t forget that media training your celebrity spokesperson is essential to getting the most out of your investment or you could end up wasting a lot of money, so find out the top five mistakes SMT spokespersons make.

All of this information may sound very basic — almost like “Hiring a Celebrity Spokesperson 101,” but I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, when it comes to hiring a spokesperson so never assume the obvious.

Feel free to call me and consult when you are in the planning stages of finding the right spokesperson to generate media interest for your brand, product, or service.